Enlightenment

God Daily Bears Our Burdens

Whenever I faced difficult moments though rarely, I fell into a sense of shame and felt burdened—‘Why am I the only one tired and suffering?’ But there was the One more burdened than I was. “Praise be to the Lord,…

Daejeon, South Korea, Kim Mi-jeong

Mother’s Love Only for Her Children

One day, I was having lunch with my grandfather, and we were discussing the most important thing in relationships. I mentioned communication as something I thought was important, and then he told me an old story: Before my dad was…

Philadelphia, PA, U.S., Maxwell Rothstein

Take Off Your Old Self and Put On the New Self

When I look back at the life I lived, I cannot help but cringe. Everyone knew my personality: loud, arrogant, and spoiled. I was set on my plans of world victory and I was going to show it off to…

Riverside, CA, U.S., Vivian Paire Dewong

When Every Part Isn’t United

“It’s an intruder! Attack!” “No, wait! I’m not an intruder. We’re a family!” “Liar! Attack! Attack!” This is what goes on inside the body of someone with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. Hashimoto’s thyroiditis is an autoimmune disease; a disorder in which the…

Manhattan, NY, U.S., Viana Lynnette Vazquez

God Leads My Way

I was troubled many times with lots of concerns when I was about to carry out a plan. Nevertheless, I prayed to God only when I was desperate. I got sobered, however, when I realized that it was not my…

Hyderabad, India, Ryu Gi-bok

Removing Stains

I’d like to share what I’ve realized while painting the Libreville Church in Gabon. We paint our Zion building every dry season. Since we cannot do it in the rainy season even though we want to, we have to paint…

Libreville, Gabon, Lee Jeong-ho

Making Pittu

When there is a gathering for the male adult group in Zion, I prepare meals, selecting a dish among the menu they like. Although they are exhausted after working all day, they come to church right after work to study…

Colombo, Sri Lanka, Baek So-hyeon

Unfailing Love

As we walk the path of faith, there are times when we don’t understand why certain things happen, only to realize later that those very moments were filled with God’s hidden blessings. Whenever I’m tempted to rely on my own…

Shin Jun-hee from Suwon, Korea

One Meal vs. Twenty Thousand Meals

It was a day I cooked for my father. Though I was tired, it was nothing compared with my father, who had come home late and hadn’t even had lunch. So I quickly washed the rice and set it to…

Ju Yeong-ho from Seoul, Korea

Class President Campaign Promises

At the beginning of the semester, my second child—now in third grade—decided to run for class president. Here is the campaign pledge he wrote: If I become class president, I promise to be like a school supply for all of…

Kim Deok-sun from Busan, Korea

Like a Doubles Match in Tennis

As I’ve been learning tennis, I’ve come to some realizations I’d like to share with my Zion family. In tennis, there are two main formats: singles and doubles. A singles match is played one-on-one, with players exchanging shots across the…

Hwang Su-dong from Incheon, Korea

The Fledging Operation of a Kestrel Family

About a month after birds hatch, they leave their nest to begin life on their own—a process known as fledging. I once watched a program that followed the story of a kestrel family preparing for that moment. For reasons unknown,…

Yun Eun-ju from Goyang, Korea

Longing for Our Heavenly Home

All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth. People who say…

Mira M.C. from Patna, BR, India

Chosen by God

“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen…

Jahng Su-ji from Seosan, Korea

After Conscious Sedation Endoscopy

I had a stomach endoscopy for the first time in my life. My husband had previously undergone the procedure without sedation and said it was difficult, so I chose to be sedated without hesitation. The nurse administered the sedative. One…

Kim Hyeon-im from Suncheon, Korea

God Gives Greater Honor to the Parts That Lack It

One day, I tripped over a stone and fell. In the moment, I was too stunned to pay attention to the pain. But as time passed, my entire body began to ache; my hand swelled up, and a deep bruise…

Hyeon Su-jin from Incheon, Korea

Continue in What You Have Learned and Have Become Convinced of

In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted, while evildoers and impostors will go from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. But as for you, continue in what you have learned…

Kim Jin from Daegu, Korea

A Glorious Name in the Heavenly Family Lineage

One day, while dining at my parents’ home, my father disappeared into his room after the meal and returned with a book in hand. It was a family genealogy—bound in black leather with gold lettering engraved on the cover. Even…

Gahng Min-seo from Seongnam, Korea

New Song Poetry Collection

One day, I noticed a deaconess holding a large-print New Song book and asked her why. I had assumed the large-print version—containing only lyrics without musical notation—was intended for elderly members who had difficulty reading small text or for young…

Im Ji-yeon from Seongnam, Korea

Surely This Is Our God

I was once someone who did not seek God. As a child, I followed my parents to temples and shrines, joining my hands in prayer to Buddha or various deities as they instructed. But as I grew older, doubts began…

Oyama Yuki from Fukuoka, Japan